Anthony Joshua returns to the ring on Saturday against the relatively unknown Kristian Prenga in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, knowing that victory would set up a long-awaited showdown with Tyson Fury.
Joshua, a two-time world champion and Olympic gold medallist, has won 29 fights – 26 by stoppage – and lost four. Albanian Prenga enters the fight with an impressive record of his own, having achieved all of his 20 victories with stoppages while suffering only one defeat. However, the 35-year-old has never faced anyone close to Joshua’s level. After Fury comfortably dispatched Polish veteran Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday, can Joshua come through his own warm-up bout? This will be Joshua’s first fight since a car crash in Nigeria that claimed the lives of two close friends, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele.
Anthony Joshua and Kristian Prenga in Jeddah
A relaxed Anthony Joshua laughed with reporters, thanked fans for making the trip and even encouraged a sizeable Albanian contingent to bring their “energy” for the British heavyweight’s comeback fight in Saudi Arabia on Saturday. Joshua, 36, faces Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga in his first fight since the car crash in Nigeria last December which claimed the lives of two of his closest friends and members of his team, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele. Victory would move Joshua to the brink of an all-British heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury, as long as ‘The Gypsy King’ also wins his warm-up fight against Mariusz Wach in Thailand on Friday.
We've been working since January, working hard, keeping my head down,
Joshua stated.
Tyson Fury and Mariusz Wach in Thailand
Anthony Joshua returns to the ring on Saturday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, facing Albanian-American club fighter Kristian Prenga as a tune-up for a likely fight with Tyson Fury later this year. Being honest up front, this is not the most interesting matchup on paper, but we’ll take a look at it anyway. Does Prenga have any hope for an upset, or will AJ plow through en route to Fury?
Now 36, Anthony Joshua (29-4, 26 KO) has been up and down and over and out in his professional career. He’s been at the top, one of the biggest money men of a generation, a massive draw and someone whose every move as a professional has been obsessed over by fans and haters alike.
One of the greatest heavyweights of his era, Anthony Joshua returns to the ring when he faces Kristian Prenga. The main event is designed to be a tune-up for Joshua’s seemingly inevitable meeting with Tyson Fury later in the year. However, the rest of the card is strong. Jeddah in Saudi Arabia is getting a great card — at least on paper. Let’s talk boxing.
Jeddah Superdome and Jake Paul
Anthony Joshua makes his comeback to the ring against Albania’s Kristian Prenga at the Jeddah Superdome in Saudi Arabia. This is Joshua’s first fight since the car crash that killed two of his closest friends and members of his team, Sina Ghami and Latif ‘Latz’ Ayodele, on December 29, 2025. Joshua last stepped in the ring against YouTuber Jake Paul on December 19, 2025, when the heavyweight stopped Paul after six rounds.
Joshua’s opponent, Kristian Prenga, last fought in February of this year, stopping the USA’s Joe Jones in the first round in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Prenga, who is 35 years old, has won by knockout in all 20 of his wins in his 21-fight career.
Fight week has finally arrived for Anthony Joshua, with the heavyweight superstar preparing to make his first appearance of the year against dangerous Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga. It’s Danger Before Destiny in Jeddah for ‘AJ’, who returns to the ring this weekend.
Success for Joshua will tee up his long-awaited super-bout with Tyson Fury, with ‘The Gypsy King’ in action one day before against Mariusz Wach too.
BBC Radio Commentary from Jeddah
Anthony Joshua returns to the ring against Kristian Prenga on Saturday in a warm-up bout for his planned super-fight with fellow British heavyweight Tyson Fury. Joshua, 36, last fought in December when he beat Jake Paul with a devastating sixth-round knockout in Miami. Albania’s Prenga, 35, carries knockout power but has never established himself as a world level contender in the heavyweight division. Will Joshua get the win required to keep alive hopes of the fight with Fury? Or can Prenga pull off a major upset? Here is all you need to know about the bout in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. BBC Radio commentary from Jeddah will be available.
Former unified world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua takes on dangerous Albanian puncher Kristian Prenga. Big-punching AJ knows he must impress in Jeddah. Based on the markets, this is a heavy mismatch. With Joshua the hot 1/33 favourite and Prenga out at 10/1, William Hill News look to the Method Of Result market to find some value in what they expect to be a customary win for the former heavyweight champion. Prenga has won by KO in 20 of his 21 fights.
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